Stakes on the line
by Pony-Taled Baka
Summary: Momo plays against an opponent and he must win in order to save himself from a horrid fate. Okay, I'm lying, but read it anyways.


Wrote this as a dedication fic to a friend and now I'm sharing the love with the people at this site. ^^

Disclaimer: I own nothing of this anime. If I did, I wouldn't be worrying about how to pay for college.

Warning: Little RyomaMomo love. Set in the future actually, but at an undefined date. Just something I came up with in the bathroom.

Momoshiro concentrated on his opponent sitting directly across from him with an intense laser-like focus that was unusual for the loud-mouthed youth outside of the tennis courts. However, the stakes were too high for him to risk a careless move and lose the game. Not only would he lose face, but he would also have to suffer through a most horrible fate. A fate, that while not worse than drinking one of Inui's concoctions, was most assuredly worse than death and something he didn't want to contemplate. His opponent would, of course, hold this victory over his head in the same manner he had held all the other victories he had won over the years from the other teen. Momoshiro's pride was unwilling to give up and give in to his opponent, who, despite all odds, always seemed to win when playing Momoshiro, even after all this time.

_He's got to lose sometime._ Momoshiro thought, eyeing his opponent, searching for any signs of weakness. _It's just impossible that someone can win all the time. No one's that good. Not even Fuji-senpai._

His opponent stared back at him; face expressionless, save for the dancing laughter that lurked in the back of his eyes. That laughter came from the fact that he was confident in his win and his victory over Momoshiro. There was no doubt in his mind who the winner of their little game would be. OH, but Momoshiro was going to show him. He was going to win this little game of theirs and finally claim a victory over the other boy. Then he would claim the rich prize and the other would have to suffer.

It was his opponent that broke the silence that stemmed from Momoshiro's concentration first, a little unusual, but Momoshiro was used to the unexpected from his opponent.

"Ne, Momo. Just pick already," his opponent taunted in that superior tone that he always used when playing against Momoshiro. The sound of that voice and the arrogance held within it only served to fuel Momoshiro's desire to win, most likely, being the other boy's intention from the start.

However, that voice did have a valid point. He had been staring at the other and his hand for a good 7 minutes, trying to decide what his next move would be and his opponent was gave no clue to what his weaknesses might be. If he was going to go in for the kill, he had to do it now.

Removing a hand from where it was holding Momoshiro's fate, the spiked teen reached out and plucked one of the offered items from his opponent's hand. Raising it quickly to his eyes, Momoshiro felt his confidence growing as he smirked at the other boy. He was going to win. He could feel it in his bones. So, it was with that confident attitude, Momoshiro turned the item in question around so that he could see the results that he thought he knew in his head. Imagine his surprise when he realized that he had lost yet again. Momoshiro was so busy goggling his loss that he failed to miss the satisfied smirk on his opponent's face as he quickly snatched the last item that would assure him of a victory and not Momoshiro.

"I win, Momo." His opponent stated, flashing the last matching pair of cards in their game.

"HOW THE HECK DID I END UP WITH THE OLD MAID?!" Momoshiro cried out, still staring at the card that had caused his downfall. His opponent just shrugged and tossed the cards onto a pile already on the table. Then he leaned back in his seat and gave Momoshiro a good long look, before speaking again.

"You know what this means Momo. You've got to take Karupin to the vet for his shots and you're the one who's going to pay when we meet up with the others tonight."

"But…But…."

"Saa…We could always play again if you want to Momo," Echizen stated, smirking at the other. "Of course, you'll still lose… Just like you always do."

Hearing that, Momoshiro slammed his card facedown onto the table and stared at Echizen, eyes blazing. He glared at the young bishounen and leaned forward, nearly out of his seat. "I do not always lose!"

An amused smirk was all the answer that Momoshiro received as a reply, making Momoshiro's blood run all that much hotter. He leaned forward some more until his entire torso was just above the table and his face was mere inches away from Echizen's.

"I dare you to say that again, Rymoa," Momoshiro challenged, his competitive nature fueling his fire and eliminating his world to just one focus, like it had been before. Only this time, his focus was the other youth sitting in front of him. 

If anything, Echizen's smirk only increased as he gazed at Momoshiro. The two stared at each other for what seemed like ages, and then Echizen made his move. Quick as any Twist Serve he had ever made on the courts, Echizen's hand reached out and snagged the front of Momoshiro's shirt, pulling him towards the smaller youth. Crushing the older youth's lips against his, Echizen closed his eyes and smirked into the kiss. Momoshiro could feel that smirk. He knew that it was there. He also knew that the boy was messing with him and that he was manipulating him, but as soon as their lips had met, all anger and coherent thought left Momoshiro's head.

He could feel Echizen's lips move aggressively against his, pushing into his mouth at the same time that his hand was pulling him closer. When he finally let the other boy go, Echizen gave Momoshiro an extra shove for good measure. Momoshiro fell back into his seat with a stunned look on his face and the fire in his eyes sufficiently snuffed out. Licking his lips in a sensual manner, Echizen stood up and turned on his heel, but not before he gave Momoshiro one last message.

"You always lose Momo, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to _play_ with you anymore."

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Hoped you people liked it. C&C is welcomed and appreciated. Please do send!


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